RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army Review

As a longtime fan of Atlus and the Shin Megami Tensei universe, I was thrilled when RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army was announced. The original Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army on the PS2 was a quirky, experimental gem that blended action RPG mechanics with a supernatural detective story set in an alternate 1930s Japan. It wasn’t perfect, but it had a cult charm that stuck with me. So, when I got my hands on the remastered version, released on June 19, 2025, for modern platforms like the Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PC, I dove in with high expectations. After a 25-hour playthrough, I can say RAIDOU Remastered is a fascinating blend of nostalgia and modernization, a love letter to fans that polishes a rough classic into something special—though it’s not without its flaws.

First Impressions

From the moment I booted up the game, I was struck by how much care Atlus poured into reviving this obscure title. The story follows Raidou Kuzunoha XIV, a young Devil Summoner who balances life as a detective’s apprentice at the Narumi Detective Agency with his secret duty to protect Tokyo from demonic threats. The game kicks off with a gripping case: a young heiress, Kaya Daidouji, calls the agency in a panic, begging to be killed before she’s kidnapped by mysterious red-uniformed soldiers. What starts as a supernatural detective thriller spirals into a wild conspiracy involving demons, political intrigue, and even historical figures like Grigori Rasputin. The Taishō-era setting, with its blend of traditional Japanese culture and early 20th-century modernization, feels vibrant and unique. I loved wandering through bustling districts like Ginza-cho, soaking in the noir aesthetic and jazzy soundtrack that screams Shoji Meguro at his finest.

Visual and Sound Improvements

Visually, RAIDOU Remastered is a knockout. The original PS2 game relied on pre-rendered backgrounds, which were detailed but static. This remaster rebuilds everything in 3D, likely using Unreal Engine, and the results are stunning. Tokyo’s streets feel alive, with NPCs like the kid with the stick (a personal favorite) adding charm to the world. Raidou and his demons look sharper, with smoother animations that retain the iconic art style of Kazuma Kaneko. The cinematic cutscenes are a highlight, bringing the story to life in a way the original never could. That said, some NPC models are a bit blocky, and certain backgrounds could use more polish. It’s not Metaphor: ReFantazio levels of visual fidelity, but it captures the nostalgic vibe perfectly while feeling modern enough to stand alongside contemporary titles.

The biggest surprise for me was the addition of full voice acting. The original had none, which left the 1930s Japan setting feeling a bit flat. Now, nearly every line is voiced, and the quality is top-notch. Narumi’s Japanese voice actor, in particular, oozes charisma, and Gouto, Raidou’s talking cat companion, adds a playful edge to the dialogue. The English dub is solid too, though some lines feel dated, like characters calling women “Doll Face” or “Bird.” It fits the noir vibe but can feel jarring in 2025. Still, the voice acting elevates the story’s atmosphere, making every cutscene a treat.

Gameplay

Gameplay is where RAIDOU Remastered truly shines—and stumbles. The original was an action RPG, a bold departure from the turn-based combat of most Shin Megami Tensei games. Its real-time battles were clunky, with a static camera and sluggish controls. The remaster overhauls this completely, borrowing heavily from the sequel’s mechanics. I now had full control of the camera, a jump mechanic, and the ability to summon two demons at once.

Raidou’s katana attacks are divided into light strikes (which recover Magnetite, or MAG, for demon skills) and heavy strikes (which deal big damage but don’t replenish MAG). You can also switch between sword, spear, or axe styles for heavy attacks, adding variety. The gun now has an aim mode and regenerating bullets, making it more tactical. Battles take place in instanced arenas, and I found the combat fast-paced and satisfying, especially when juggling light and heavy attacks to keep my MAG topped up while exploiting enemy weaknesses.

Combat

Demons, as expected from an SMT game, are a core mechanic. You capture them Pokémon-style or fuse them to create stronger allies. Demons aren’t just for combat; their investigation skills, like mind-reading or revealing hidden items, are crucial for solving cases. I loved using a demon to read an NPC’s thoughts and uncover their true motives—it added depth to the detective work. The fusion system is robust, with over 50 new demons added, though negotiation feels barebones. Success is almost guaranteed if you have enough MAG, which made recruiting demons less engaging than I’d hoped. Still, experimenting with demon combinations was addictive, and I spent hours in the Gouma-Den tweaking my party.

The quality-of-life improvements are a game-changer. Random encounters, a major annoyance in the original, are gone. Enemies are now visible in dungeons and Dark Realms, letting you choose when to fight. Fast travel via streetcars made navigating Tokyo a breeze, though I still had to pay fares, which added a touch of realism. The context-sensitive demon ability menu streamlined investigations, automatically swapping demons for the right skill, though it sometimes felt like it did too much of the work for me. These changes cut my playtime to about 21 hours (including most side quests, or “Case Files”), compared to the original’s padded 30–40 hours. It’s a leaner, more focused experience, which I appreciated as someone who doesn’t always have time for bloated RPGs.

The Cons

But here’s where I hit some bumps. The detective gameplay, while thematically cool, often felt shallow. The game holds your hand excessively, with Gouto and exclamation points guiding you to every clue and witness. I never felt like I was solving mysteries myself; it was more like following a checklist. The Case Files, while a nice break from the main story, were often too simple—just summon the right demon, press a button, and you’re done. I wanted more deduction, more agency as a detective. The story, while engaging early on, loses steam in the third act. The pacing feels rushed, and some antagonists’ motivations are shaky, which dulled the impact of the finale. It’s still a fun ride, but it doesn’t reach the narrative heights of Persona 4 or Metaphor: ReFantazio.

The combat, while improved, can get repetitive. Boss battles are challenging, but regular enemies have massive health bars, making fights drag if you don’t exploit weaknesses perfectly. The auto-targeting system occasionally misfired, locking onto the wrong enemy during chaotic battles, which was frustrating. On the technical side, I played on the Nintendo Switch 2, and the performance was mostly solid, with vibrant visuals and a stable framerate. However, I noticed occasional hitching during exploration and minor aliasing in handheld mode. These weren’t dealbreakers, but they reminded me this is a remaster of a 2005 game, not a ground-up rebuild.

Verdict

Reflecting on my experience, RAIDOU Remastered is a triumph in many ways. It’s more than a remaster—closer to a remake with its overhauled combat, new voice acting, and rebuilt visuals. It preserves the original’s charm while sanding down its roughest edges, like random encounters and clunky controls. The Taishō-era setting and supernatural detective premise remain unique, even among Atlus’s stellar catalog. For SMT fans or anyone curious about a lesser-known classic, it’s a must-play. But the hand-holding, repetitive combat, and uneven story pacing keep it from true greatness.

It’s a solid 8/10 for me—a fascinating artifact of Atlus’s PS2 era, polished to a modern shine but still showing its age in places. I’m crossing my fingers this success paves the way for a Raidou 2 remaster, as the sequel reportedly improves on many of these issues. If you’re a Persona fan or love action RPGs with a dark, cultural heartbeat, RAIDOU Remastered is well worth your time. Just don’t expect to feel like Sherlock